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NATIONAL ASSISTANCE ACT - WELFARE SERVICES
Introduction
The Borough is an all-purpose welfare authority and is responsible
for the welfare of the aged, the blind and partially-sighted, the deaf and the
physically handicapped, as well as dealing with homeless families. Whilst in
the main these responsibilities are carried out by the Council, there is
co-operation with the many voluntary organisations engaged in the various
fields in the Borough. The first year's working has proved that a comprehensive
welfare scheme using both statutory and voluntary effort is more than a
possibility; in Sutton it is fact.
This section of the report covers the period 1st April, 1965 to
31st March, 1966.
1. SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY
(a) Residential Accommodation
Elderly people living at home may need special support to enable
them to cope with their infirmities and to prevent isolation.
As their capabilities diminish they may need such services as home help,
laundry services, ready cooked meals and chiropody. Loss of mobility
brings a need for friendly visiting, transport to social clubs and
occupation centres and arrangements for holidays. At the stage in
an elderly person's life when the support which family and
neighbours can reasonably provide is no longer sufficient and whilst
admission to hospital is not necessary, it is then that accommodation
in a residential home is needed. The provision of residential old
people's homes is a statutory duty of the new authority. The latest
figures show that there are over 21,000 people over pensionable age
in Sutton, and whilst only a small percentage (1.9%) need to be admitted
into care, this means that in Sutton it will be necessary to provide
some 432 places in old people's homes in the next five years.
The Council owns and controls two old people's homes, (a) Brambleacres
(43 places) and Maiden Homes (112 places). It has a lien on
83 places at St.Anne's, Redhill, owned by the Surrey County Council.
The total complement of 238 places is stretched to the limit and
further old people's homes are 'on the drawing board'. It is hoped
that the figure of 365 places will be reached by 1972.
As well as those old people's homes owned and controlled by the
Council there are in Sutton 22 privately owned old people's homes,
accommodating 295 people, registered by the authority and from time
to time inspected by its officers. These homes vary in size, standards
of accommodation and charges but offer residential accommodation to
old people who can afford to meet the fees from their private incomes.
There are also 7 old people's homes owned and controlled by voluntary
organisations in the Borough offering a total of 211 places to old
people seeking accommodation in this way.,
The Chief Welfare Officer is responsible for admission to Council
owned homes and offers assistance to anyone seeking admission to the
other types of old people's homes.
(b) Social Welfare Officers
Despite admission to old people's homes of one type or another
there are an indeterminate number of elderly persons whose social
support in their own homes presents a sizeable task in the
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